Calumet Fisheries

One of the best. It’s a thing, and an experience. CASH ONLY!! Get some smoked fish to go, and have some perfectly fried Oysters or Scallops. I typically do a Scallop meal and 1/2 order of Oysters w/ hot Sauce. It’s a lot of food. You may be skeptical of having shellfish this far from the coast, but It is some of the best fried seafood. Enjoy your meal on the picnic tables that overlook the drawbridge on 95th street.

Simply put - Calumet Fisheries is fantastic. I visited with 20+ friends on a Saturday afternoon and was blown away by both the quality of food and incredibly friendly staff. I wasn't sure what to expect with such a large group, but the entire crew went out of their way to make sure we had the best experience. They helped plan a tasting order to try each fish, and delivered mains and sides to the picnic tables out front as soon as they were ready. We also lucked out on timing, as fresh pepper & garlic salmon came out of the smoker while we were there. The staff made sure we could enjoy and even educated us on the smoking process. Favorites: Smoked salmon, stuffed shrimp, scallops. Already looking forward to returning with more friends soon.

To call this amazing place unassuming would be a gross understatement after having had the best smoked salmon I've ever had. There's reason why the James Beard Foundation recognized this family-owned place as an American classic. I used visiting this place as an excuse to ride my motorcycle 116 miles down from Milwaukee to eat here. It was worth it. They also have fried seafood as well and I had the scallops dinner that came with French fries and coleslaw. The scallops were excellent, portion size was large. They were breaded, but I would have preferred battered. Still good. I ordered regular smoked salmon & a garlic and herb smoked salmon as well as smoked shrimp to go. I brought along ice packs for this purpose. I had never had smoked shrimp before and I happily took them up on their offer for a sample, which closed the deal. There is no indoor seating. I ate at one of two picnic tables outside. Many people eat in their cars or on the walkway of the adjacent bridge, where a famous scene from the Blues Brothers movie was filmed. Btw, cash only, but they have an ATM inside.

My wife's family made this a weekly "must go to" place for decades. When my wife and I started dating, this was a place she had me take her to. The little shack perched on the side of the Calumet River is literally 50 feet from the 95th Street draw bridge. Nothing has changed at the shack...it looks the same..the menu is the same...the great food is the same. The only thing that has changed are the prices! This past week my wife and I were visiting her family in Chicago, and her sister said we have to go to the fish place on the 95th Street Bridge, So, off we went! It was a spectacular day, so we ordered and took our food to Calumet Park for a picnic! We got smoked salmon, smoked trout, breaded lake perch, and breaded shrimp! Oh, what a feast! Great memories can live on and it did this past week!